Bill and letter file



(No Model.)

B. S. I-IOKE.

BILL AND LETTER FILE.

Patented D60.26,1882.

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N. PETERS, PhnwLvlho m lm. washin lnn, D, C.

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD S. HOKE, OF GHAMBERS BURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

BILL AND LETTER FILE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 269,671, dated December 26, 1882.

Application filed September 29,1882. (No model.)

If 0 all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, EDWARD S. HOKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chambersburg, in the county of Franklin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bill and Letter Files; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a perspective of the top of the file. Fig. 2 is a perspective of the bottom of the file. Fig. 3 is a side elevation, and Fig. 4 is a front elevation, of the same.

My invention has for its object to provide a simple and comparativelyinexpensive yet efficient file for holding bills, letters, and other papers.

My improvements consist in the peculiar construction andcombination of parts hereinafter fully set forth, comprising a base-board or bottom, a lever-clamp with slide, andan adjustable cord-hinge, substantially as hereinafter described.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, A designates a base-board, which forms the bottom, and B a lever-clamp, which composes the top, of the file. The lever-clamp consists of a flat piece, I), with a transverse cleat or flange, b, at one of its ends.

0 represents a slide which rests on the lever B, and has liberty of movement lengthwise through a slot, b in the cleat b. A stud, b projecting from the upper side of the lever, passes through a slot, 0, in the slide C, and limits the extent of movement of. the latter. 0n the outer end of the slide 0 is a transverse cleat, e, of the same thickness or depth as the board A, so as to make the clamp, when the slide is extended, level at both ends. Said cleat fits, when the slide is withdrawn, in a recess formed for its reception in the end of the lever B.

D is a cord, by means of which the leverclamp is-secured to the bottom or base-board A. There are several ways in which this cord may be arranged, so that I wish it to be understood that I do not confine my invention to any particular arrangement. A simple method of arranging it is as follows: First form a knot, 01, on one end of the cord; then pass the other end down through a hole, a, in the board A, then up through a hole, a, in said board, thence backwardly through a hole, b5, in a cleat, b, thence along the back of said cleat toward theothereud,theuce forwardly through another hole, 12 thence downwardly through a hole, a, in said board, and finally across the latter and through the loop 01, formed by that portion of the cord between the holes a, and a. t

The operation is as follows: The slide 0 being withdrawn so that-it's front end is flush with the front of the cleat b, as shown in Fig. 3, the lever may be thrown into a vertical position, or perpendicular to the board A. In this position the cord D is slack, and the distance between the face of the cleat b and the bottom A is such that papers, bills, &c., may be readily introduced between them. The extent of this distance may be regulated by taking up or letting out the cord-l. 0., drawing it or allowing it to slip back, as required, through the loop (1. The bills, letters, or other papers having been inserted in place, the lever B is turned down, as shown in Fig. 1. This draws the cord taut, as the distance between the hole I) and the bottom of the lever B is about double the thickness of the cleat b. secure the lever firmly in position and to counteract its tendency to fly up, the slide 0 is pushed forward, occupying the position shown in Fig. 1. The papers are now tightly clamped, and will beheld in position until the slide is withdrawn, as before, whereupon the clamp is relaxed and said papers or any one or more of-them may be taken out.

While the papers are in the file their headings or briefs may be inspected by lifting the ends beyond the end of the slide.

What I claim as my invention is as follows:

1. The combination, in a bill or letter file, of a bottom, A, a lever, B, a slide, 0, and a hingeconnection between said bottom. and lever, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination, in a bill or letter file, of a base-board or bottom, A, a lever, B, a slide, 0, and a cord, D, forming an adjustable hingeconlrBCtiOll between said bottom lever,- substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination of base-board or bottom A, lever B, having eleat or flange b,witl1slot b and stud b, slide (J, having slot 0 and cleat c, and cord 1), the several parts being constructed and combined forjoint operation substantially as shown and described.

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In testimony that I olnim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 28th day of 10 September, 1882.

EDWARD S. HOKE.

Witnesses CHAS. MATHEWS, Jr., M. D. GoNNoLLY. 

